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Ok, have you ever had this problem?

First of all, I'm glad I stumbled onto this Board.......It' s nice to speak with others who do the same thing I do every day(OK, so much for the butt kissing part ).

I've looked on ridgid's site and pretty sure the don't make a drop-head cutter/retriever for the c-10 7/8 cable.

I have a 4 inch line I service about once a month. it's under a slab in a multi-story bldg. back in the 80's when it was built someone used a 4 inch wye (backwards) in place of a 1/8 bend in a branch line that serves a few bathrooms and hand sinks. yes,(backwards) and capped off the end with a blind plug. I know this because we ran the camera and seen it.

I have been doing this cleanout for about 2 years, and they just will not close the Doctor's office down as it is a busy place. so we just snake it as needed. anyway, the main problem is when the snake head reaches the area at the backwards wye......it always wants to never make the turn and head for the dead-end cap.

If I could find a drop head type snake head that would flop at the point the backward wye, I'm pretty sure it would make the turn soner or later.

so, do any of you guys know of a head that would fit the c-10 7/8 cable for this appilcation?

INSIGHT PIPE is now Maine Drain Serving most of ME with no charge for travel! 207-431-6232 is nolonger a working # our NEW # is 207-355-1476Sewer main snaking (roto rooting). Sink clogs. Sewer backup. Pipe inspection/locating. No Dig trenchless repair. Root clog removal.We are NOT to replace your local Plumber, as we do not do plumbing. WE ARE YOUR DRAIN CLEANING EXPERTS!!!www.sewermaine.com waterville winslow bangor augusta skowhegan fairfield pittsfield oakland

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Have you ever heard of Fernco Pipe Patch? Just like permalinner but much cheaper.

It's not really designed for this situation but I think it could work. Reps have told me a 45 can be patched. I'd contact them to see what they think.

You could kink a cable so when it gets to that area the cable already wants to go the right way.

Soft pack in same area each time. Blow bag? Kinda risky inside an office building though.

INSIGHT PIPE is now Maine Drain Serving most of ME with no charge for travel! 207-431-6232 is nolonger a working # our NEW # is 207-355-1476Sewer main snaking (roto rooting). Sink clogs. Sewer backup. Pipe inspection/locating. No Dig trenchless repair. Root clog removal.We are NOT to replace your local Plumber, as we do not do plumbing. WE ARE YOUR DRAIN CLEANING EXPERTS!!!www.sewermaine.com waterville winslow bangor augusta skowhegan fairfield pittsfield oakland

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You need to run a leader cable attachment with a slight hook or bend (not a massive kink that's going to get you hung up) Just something with a slight, gradual, rounded bend so the rest of the cable to follow behind. When you get to or near the wye, STOP the machine. Slowly hand spin the cable till you feel it sorta spin and "flop". Without powering the machine on, assuming your cable is good and stiff, push it in dead around the turn. If it stops solid, pull back try it again. When it feels like it made the around, turn the machine on and continue. It may take few trys to nail it, but that's how you get good. When most guys say screw it, it can't be done, that's when I show up.

If you're using a sectional, this probably won't work since you need to be able to feel exactly when the bend of the cable is where it needs to be.
The right thing would be to repair it and then hunt down the person that installed it that way, if he's still alive, and hang him from a tree.

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Repair it properly, and quit dicking around with it! No excuses. I have repaired commercial drains under concrete slabs in the middle of the night, so they didn't have to close. One was a KFC. We started at 11pm, ran the camera down, pinpointed the bad spot with a navitrack, started jack-hammering the slab, repaired the drain, and put concrete back...finished at 4 am. KFC opened up later that morning and never missed a beat.
They got tired of paying another company to clean the drain every month. Now they NEVER have a problem with that drain.

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You need to run a leader cable attachment with a slight hook or bend (not a massive kink that's going to get you hung up) Just something with a slight, gradual, rounded bend so the rest of the cable to follow behind. When you get to or near the wye, STOP the machine. Slowly hand spin the cable till you feel it sorta spin and "flop". Without powering the machine on, assuming your cable is good and stiff, push it in dead around the turn. If it stops solid, pull back try it again. When it feels like it made the around, turn the machine on and continue. It may take few trys to nail it, but that's how you get good. When most guys say screw it, it can't be done, that's when I show up.

If you're using a sectional, this probably won't work since you need to be able to feel exactly when the bend of the cable is where it needs to be.
The right thing would be to repair it and then hunt down the person that installed it that way, if he's still alive, and hang him from a tree.

Believe me, I've tried that.........the problem is that, there are 3 turns in the line before you get to the spot. so the darn cable kinda has a mind of its own at that point.........but some great advice about turning the machine off and doing it by hand....really, I'm not complaining.....I need to shake the guys hand who did it.....This economy needs a jump anyway....thanks bud.

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Repair it properly, and quit dicking around with it! No excuses. I have repaired commercial drains under concrete slabs in the middle of the night, so they didn't have to close. One was a KFC. We started at 11pm, ran the camera down, pinpointed the bad spot with a navitrack, started jack-hammering the slab, repaired the drain, and put concrete back...finished at 4 am. KFC opened up later that morning and never missed a beat.
They got tired of paying another company to clean the drain every month. Now they NEVER have a problem with that drain.

I agree, but the property manager is the one that won't do what i tell him...I don't care though, It's a Cash Cow for now.....

We will be trying to fix it later on, the Dr's lease is up in 6 months..

I just want to get in and out quick, while I have to do it this way..It makes me say words I can't repeat here..

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I have had this problem several times over the years along with two basement drains meeting in the middle and both going out with a T in the middle. I started using an adapter to use an eel drop connector and a four blade type arrow cutter from Ridgid then when I get to the spot just run it in reverse or forward which ever way I need and it will go right on out.

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I have had this problem several times over the years along with two basement drains meeting in the middle and both going out with a T in the middle. I started using an adapter to use an eel drop connector and a four blade type arrow cutter from Ridgid then when I get to the spot just run it in reverse or forward which ever way I need and it will go right on out.

So get a adapter and reduce it to 5/8 type head that's a drop type?

yeah, that's a good Idea..

Do you know if ridgid make this adapter and swivel head?

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Believe me, I've tried that.........the problem is that, there are 3 turns in the line before you get to the spot. so the darn cable kinda has a mind of its own at that point.........but some great advice about turning the machine off and doing it by hand....really, I'm not complaining.....I need to shake the guys hand who did it.....This economy needs a jump anyway....thanks bud.

Just one other suggestion....do you have a smaller cable like a 5/8"? I've had that work for me from time to time. 7/8" might be too big in the pipe to "flip" the right way rather than straight into the dead end. Wouldn't have to fight those 3 turns as much either. If you're at least able to pop it open with the smaller cable, you could run your camera behind it at the same time, you can see what's going on, flushing a ton of water to ensure the whole wye fitting is cleaned. That should buy a little time until someone is willing to spend money and fix it right.

What's happening, I'm assuming, is the capped off end is catching and filling up with paper and waste. As it builds up, it stops the flow of anything upstream of the wye. It's one of those situations that no matter how many times you cable it, it'll back up again and again regardless how well it's cleaned. I would assume the owner is already aware. That alone should scare him into a repair.

You need to run a leader cable attachment with a slight hook or bend (not a massive kink that's going to get you hung up) Just something with a slight, gradual, rounded bend so the rest of the cable to follow behind. When you get to or near the wye, STOP the machine. Slowly hand spin the cable till you feel it sorta spin and "flop". Without powering the machine on, assuming your cable is good and stiff, push it in dead around the turn. If it stops solid, pull back try it again. When it feels like it made the around, turn the machine on and continue. It may take few trys to nail it, but that's how you get good. When most guys say screw it, it can't be done, that's when I show up.

If you're using a sectional, this probably won't work since you need to be able to feel exactly when the bend of the cable is where it needs to be.
The right thing would be to repair it and then hunt down the person that installed it that way, if he's still alive, and hang him from a tree.

I agree with Twicepipes, I would just add...

Sometimes just pushing a (stiff) cable in dead will work (after many attempts) with a leader, although you probably won't be able to do it after three turns. Also I would make sure to spin the cable in the direction of the turn when attempting with leader cable. This will make the leader favor one side of the pipe than the other. Try both directions to see which is most effective. Careful with the tension so not to jump the cable out of the reel if spinning in opposite direction, of course.

I worked for a company once that used sectionals, and promised myself never again. I think you'd do better with drum IMHO.

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Just a thought? I have seen many properties that have older 4” pipe and switched to water saving toilets. I think in my opinion that most people don’t know how a water saving toilet works!

Just a half flush when you pee, and a full flush when you have a constitutional.

Every older home I have been in that is a soft blockage, I have been able to cure with teaching the HO to hold the leaver down when they have a bowel movement.

If you have the chance, take you camera in a 4” cast or clay wade up 10 sheets of paper and do a 1.6 or whatever the saver toilet is and see how the paper moves. And the do the same thing with a full flush.

You will see the half flush makes the paper like a clump of plaster sticking to everything. On a full flush you will see the paper break down in to little pcs.